In order to manufacture a birefringent film containing a liquid crystal compound, it is required that the liquid crystal compound be aligned and that its alignment state be fixed. In order for a liquid crystal compound to be aligned, conventionally, there has been the need for preparing an alignment film and coating the liquid crystal compound on the alignment film. Generally known examples of such an alignment film includes a rubbing film formed of a thin film of polyimide or polyvinyl alcohol rubbed with a rubbing cloth, an optical alignment film formed of a photo-dimerized polymer film irradiated with polarized light (see, for example, JP 6(1994)-95066 A), and a stretched polymer film formed of a stretched film of polyester or the like (see, for example, JP 3(1991)-9325 A). Further, there has also been a case where on a birefringent film of a liquid crystal compound formed on such an alignment film, another birefringent film further is laminated so as to enhance optical compensation. Known examples of such a film as another birefringent film include a birefringent film formed from a non-liquid crystal polymer (see, for example, JP 2000-190385 A).
However, when another birefringent film further is laminated on a birefringent film of a liquid crystal compound formed on an alignment film, the total thickness increases, which has been disadvantageous. Further, in this case, there is the need for preparing an alignment film (or an alignment base), thereby also increasing the number of total process steps in manufacturing, which has been disadvantageous.